Material handling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A cleaner having a drag blade movable along an alley of a free stall barn to scrape waste materials and liquids from the alley into a gutter located at one end of the alley. A cocking member at the gutter end of the alley raises the blade to its up or raised position. The blade is held with a lock arm in the raised position as the blade returns to its start position. The lock arm is automatically released when the cleaner is in the start position whereby the blade returns to the down scrape position. A timer operable in conjunction with position limit switches controls the sequential operation of the cleaner.

[ Nov. 27, 1973 United States Patent [1 1 Hedlund MATERIAL HANDLINGAPPARATUS Primary ExaminerEdward A. Sroka 0 B 0.5 2 P 4 d 5 MS .1 w H mn e. V

[57] ABSTRACT A cleaner having a drag blade movable along an alley of afree stall barn to scrape waste materials and liquids from the alleyinto a gutter located at one end of 221 Filed: May 22, 1972 21Appl.No.:255,404

the alley. A cocking member at the gutter end of the alley raises theblade to its up or raised position. The blade is held with a lock arm inthe raised position as 48 mm H52 %2 a 1 1. 2 "6 M O 11 1 muoo "9 "m Wmh"mm L M C .M .t. e Umm 1111] 2 00 555 the blade returns to its startposition. The lock arm is automatically released when the cleaner is inthe start position whereby the blade returns to the down scrapeReference-s Cited osition A timer 0 erable in con'unction with osiFOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS p p J p tion limit switches controls thesequential operation of the cleaner.

821,776 11/1951 Germany 198/224 19 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENIEUMBVY I973 SHEET 1U 2 1 MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Conventional automatic barncleaners use power driven dhainscarrying transverse arms located in the gutters for moving the materialto a discharge location, as a stack or into a spreading vehicle. Thesebarn cleaners are widely used in stanchion-type barns having relativelynarrow manure collecting gutters. An example of this cleaner isdisclosed by Patz and Graetz in U. S. Pat. No. 2,554,589. Free stall, orpen-type, barns are being used to house animals and poultry, as diarycattle and chickens. These barns have relatively wide alleys separatingfree stalls from the feeding areas. It is necessary in free stall barnsto remove the material and liquids, as manure, bedding and the like,from the wide alleys to maintain sanitary conditions in the barn. It isdesirable that the barn cleaner operate automatically with a minimum ofsupervision. Andreae describes in U. S. Pat. No. 3,456,779, a dragbucket type cleaner having two scrapers arranged in a V-shape. A cableattached to the scraper moves the scraper along the floor. The materialis collected in the V-shaped scraper. On return, the scraper is liftedwith a lever attached to the cable to avoid plowing the manure in anoutward direction. Pit manure cleaners having scraper blades which pivotto a lowered position for scraping during a work stroke and into araised position for movement without scraping on the return stroke aredisclosed in U. S. Pats. No. 3,240,323; No. 3,409,120; and No.3,458,029. The scraper blades disclosed in these patents are notautomatically locked in the raised position and automatically unlockedto permit movement of the blades from the raised position to the workingposition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention broadly relates to a materialhandling apparatus operable to move particulate, semi-solid and liquidmaterials along a surface to a discharge area. The apparatus has a framemeans movably located on the surface. Blade means extended generallytransverse to the direction of movement of the apparatus is movablymounted on the frame meansThe blade means is positionable in, a downscraping position or in a raised transport position relative to thesurface to be cleaned. Lock means hold the blade means in the raisedposition. First means functions to raise the blade means when it is inthe discharge area in response to forward movement of the apparatus andactuates the lock means to hold the blade means in the raised position.

' Second means remotely spaced from the discharge area releases the lockmeans in response to return movement of the apparatus so that the blademeans will fall to the down position. Power means attached to the framemeans moves the blade means relative to the surface in both directionsof travel. The surface, as a floor, can have an elongated trackproviding a trough accommodating a part of the frame means to guide andstabilize the blade means.

The apparatus is usable as a drag barn cleaner for cleaning the alley ofa free stall or pen-type barn. The apparatus has a low profile andoperates at a relatively slow speed so as not to injure or alarm theanimals. peration of the cleaner is automatic to optimize sanitary barnconditions.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top plan view of the free stall barn cleanerof the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the center section of the scraperassembly of the barn cleaner of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the locking structure of thescraper assembly for holding the scraper blade in a raised position andthe cocking mechanism for the locking structure; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the locking structure beingdisengaged with the fixed trip cam means.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. I and 2, a materialhandling apparatus known as a free stall barn cleaner, indicatedgenerally at 1'0, installed in a free stall barn or cattle shed. Thecleaner is an automatic one-way material conveying apparatus thatscrapes waste material as liquid, dung, litter, bedding and like refuse,located on an alley 11 into a gutter 12 or top opening of a pit. Cleaner10 can be used to convey all types of particulate materials, i.e.agricultural, industrial, food products, along a surface. The followingdescription is limited to a free stall barn cleaner as one example ofthe use of this one-way material conveying apparatus. Gutter 12 can havea cross conveyor to carry the material outside to a stacker or spreader.Alley 11 has a surface or floor and opposite upright side walls 13 and14. A generally horizontal stall floor I6 is located adjacent side wall13. An elongated feed bunk 17 extends upwardly from side wall 14. Thecleaner 10 is operable to scrape the material and liquid, as manure,bedding, feed, dung, droppings and like refuse, in the alley 11 betweenthe stall floor I6 and the feed bunk 17 into the gutter 12.

As shown in FIG. I, an elongated track 18 extends longitudinally downthe center of the alley lll. Track 18 is a generally U-shaped memberforming a linear trough in the alley floor 11. As shown in FIG. 2, thelower portion of the track 18 has a generally V-shaped bottom 18A whichserves as a guide for the chain 21. The track 18 extends the full lengthof the alley l8 and also serves as a guide for the scraper assembly,indicated generally at 19. Chain 21 is an endless linkconstruction'trained about idler pulleys 22, 23, 24 and 26 located atopposite ends of alley ll. Driving power is transmitted to chain 21 witha drive pulley 2'7 whereby the chain 21 moves around pulleys 22, 23, 24and 26 and in track 18. The drive pulley 27 is powered by an electricmotor connected to a suitable transmission (not shown). A first limitswitch 28 is located at the gutter end of alley 11. A second limitswitch29 is located at the opposite or forward end of alley 11. Limit switches28 and 29 function to control the reversing switches for the motor whichselectively drives the pulley 27 in opposite directions.

The scraper assembly 19 has a transverse scraper or blade 31 extendedtransversely across alley 11. Blade 31 has opposite upright sides 32 and33 located closely adjacent the side walls 13 and 14. Blade 31 has alinear bottom edge 34 adapted to engage the floor or surface of alley11. As shown in FIG. 3, blade 31 has a generally concave shape open in aforward direction. The

concave shape of blade 31 can be arcuate or have angularly relatedportions.

An elongated, generally inverted, U-shaped slide or runner 36 isslidably positioned in the trough of track 18. A loop or U-connector 37attached to the front of slide 36 connects one end of chain 21 to theslide. An adjustable length member 38, as an eye'bolt, link, or thelike, connects the opposite end of chain 21 to the rear of slide 36. Theadjustable member 38 is used to take up slack in the chain 21 and adjustthe tension of chain 21. As shown in FIG. 3, the forward end of slide 36is secured to a pair of upright members 39 and 41. Members 39 and 41have aligned transverse holes (not shown) for an elongated transverseshaft or rod 42. A cylindrical sleeve 43 secured to the back of themidportion of blade 31 is rotatably mounted on shaft 42. In a similarmanner, sleeves 44 and 45, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, are secured toopposite ends of blade 31. Sleeves 44 and 45 are rotatably mounted onthe opposite end portions of shaft 42. The sleeves 43, 44 and 45rotatably mount the entire blade 31 on the shaft 42 for movement betweena raised position and a down working position.

As shown in FIG. 2, a pair of upright members or ears 46 and 47 arelocated on opposite sides of sleeve 43. The ears 46 and 47 are securedto the back of blade 31 and have holes for rotatably accommodating theshaft 42. As shown in FIGS. and 6, cars 46 and 47 have recesses 48 intheir forward upper end sections.

Returning to FIG. 1, a yoke or broad V-shaped frame assembly, indicatedgenerally at 49, extends rearwardly from blade 31. The yoke49 has atransverse base 51 attached to a support 52 with fasteners 53, as bolts.The support 52 is secured to the rear portion of the slide 36. Theforward end of yoke 49 carries transverse sleeves 54 and 56. Sleeves 54and 56 rotatably accommodate shaft 42 in portions about midway betweenthe center of the shaft and its outer ends. Yoke 49 in conjunction withslide 36 provides the blade 31 with lateral stability as it moves alongtrack 18. Yoke 49 has outwardly directed sides located close to thealley floor whereby the entire cleaner has a low profile and structurethat does not injure or alarm the animals.

An elongated, longitudinally positioned locking arm or dog 57 ispivotally mounted on upright members 39 and 41 with a transverse pivotpin 58. Dog 57 has a front end 59 engageable with an extension orprojection 61 secured to the sleeve 43. As shown in FIG. 5, end 59 isengageable with projection 61 to hold blade 31 in the "up or raisedposition. When the blade 31 is in its raised position, the lower linearedge 34 is a considerable distance above the floor of alley 11. Theopposite or rear end of dog 57 has a short transverse rod located overtrack 18.

As shown in FIG. 5, a generally horizontal cocking stop 63 is attachedto the upper end of a support 64 secured to the floor adjacent gutter12. A transverse pivot member 66, as a pin, pivotally connects the stop63 to the support to provide the stop 63 with limited vertical movement.The forward or free end of stop 63 has a transverse rod or pin 67. Asshown in FIG. 1, stop 63 is located in the vertical plane of track 18over the gutter 12. Pin 67 is located in generally the same horizontalplane as the arcuate recesses 48 and the upper ends of ears 46 and 47.Scraper assembly 19 moves in the forward or work direction of arrow 68,shown in FIG. 5, toward the cocking stop 63. When rod 67 is engaged byarms 46 and 47, blade 31 is pivoted in an upward position shown inbroken lines, away from the floor of alley 1 1. The projection 61 movesdownwardly and forwardly of the front end 59 of the locking dog 57. Thelocking dog rod 62 moves downwardly until it engages the floor, therebypositioning the front end 59 of dog 57 in a holding or lockingengagement with the projection 61. Movement of scraper assembly 19 in anopposite or return direction releases arms 46 and 47 from the cockingstop 63, thereby placing a holding force of the weight of blade 31 onthe locking arm 57.

During cocking and locking of blade 31 in an up position, the blade 31will actuate the limit switch 28 to reverse the direction of drive ofthe motor supplying power to drive pulley 27. The scraper assembly 19will now move in a return or rearward direction as shown by arrow 69with the blade 31 in the raised position.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, a pair of trip cams or lugs 71 are locatedadjacent opposite sides of track 18 at the rear or beginning end ofalley 11. Trip cams 71 have upwardly converging upper edges and convexcurved apex portions. As scraper assembly 19 moves in the returndirection, as indicated by arrow 69, the rod 62 on the locking dog 57will ride up the trip cams 71 thereby moving the front end 59 out ofengagement with projection 61. The weight of blade 31 is sufficient toreturn the blade to its down or scraping position. Yoke 49 will engagethe limit switch 29 thereby reversing the drive motor connected topulley 27. Limit switch 29 can be connected to a time clock control 72which operates to automatically start the operation of the barn cleanerat selected time intervals.

The barn cleaner 10 is a one-way automatic free stall barn machine thatfunctions to scrape material, as manure, bedding, liquids, and the like,into a single gutter or pit at one end of the barn. The cleaner 10 canbe used in a single, two, or more alley free stall barn arrangement.Scraper assemblies similar to scraper assembly 19 are located in eachalley and at opposite ends of the adjacent alleys so that when onescraper is cleaning, the opposite scraper assembly is returning to itsinitial location.

In use, the scraper assembly 19 moves with a work stroke from the startend of alley 1 1 remote from gutter 12 in a down position, as shown inFIG. 6. As the blade 31 moves down the alley11, it collects the wastematerials in the alley. The bottom edge 34 being in engagement with thefloor scrapes the floor clean. The scraper assembly 19 moves at arelatively slow rate of speed down the alley 1 1 so that it does notdisturb the animals while they are eating or resting. Preferably, thescraper assembly 19 moves at a rate of 5 feet per minute down the alley11. The scraper assembly 19 pushes the material into the transversegutter 12 located at the end of alley 11. Whenthe scraper blade 31 isover the. gutter 12, ears 46 and 47 engage the cocking stop 63. Thecontinued movement of scraper assembly 19 causes the blade 31 to pivotin an upward direction. As soon as projection 61 moves past end 59 oflocking dog 57, the dog 57 moves to the lock position, as shown inbroken lines in FIG. 5. The scraper assembly 19 will then actuate thelimit switch 28 which in turn will reverse the drive motor for chain 21.

The scraper assembly 19 will reverse its direction of movement to returnat a slow speed to its initial position with blade 31 in the raisedposition. The locking dog 57, being in engagement with projection 61,holds blade 31 in the raised position. When the scraper assembly i9approaches its start or initial position at the opposite end of thealley ll, rod 62 of the locking dog 57 rides up on the trip cams 71,thereby releasing the end 59 of locking dog 57 from the projection 61.The blade 31 will pivot downwardly until the bottom edge 34 engages thealley floor. Continued return movement of scraper assembly 19 willactuate the limit switch 29, thereby terminating the power to the drivemotor. The timer 72 is actuated by limit switch 2% to commence timing ofthe next cleaning cycle. Timer 72 can be set to automatically operatethe cleaner at selected time intervals, for example, 2, 4 or 6 hours.The number of animals and'size of the barn are factors that control thefrequency of operation of the cleaner 10.

While there have been shown and described preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is understood that various changes and modifications canbe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.For example, the cocking stop 63 can be separated and located adjacentthe opposite ends of the blade 31. Opposite corners of the blade wouldthen engage the stops to move the blade to its up position. Also, one ormore scraper assemblies, similar to assembly w, can be attached to thechain 21!. for cleaning separate alleys of a free stall barn. Thecleaner 10 can be employed as a pit cleaner to remove waste material, asdroppings, litter, dung, or like refuse, from a pit or alley locatedbelow a floor, as a slat floor. Slat floors are used in poultry, hog andcalf barns. Kitson, in U. S. Pat. No. 3,240,323, discloses one type ofbarn having a slat floor over a pit equipped with a pit cleaner.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1.. An apparatus for moving material from a surface to a discharge areaeomprisingzfrarne means movably located on the surface, generallytransverse blade means for collecting and moving material on thesurface, means' movably mounting the blade means on the frame means forselected movement to a down scraping position and a raised positionrelative to the surface, lock means for holding the blade means in theraised position, said lock means including lock arm means pivotallymounted on the frame means, and means fixed with respect to the blademeans engageable with the lock arm to hold the blade means in the raisedposition, first means for raising the blade means in response tomovement of the apparatus and actuating the lock means to hold the blademeans in the raised position, second means cooperating with the lock armmeans to release said lock arm means from the means fixed to the blademeans whereby the blade means moves from the raised position to the downposition, and means for moving the frame means relative to the surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the second means includes cam meansfixed relative to said surface at a position remote from said dischargearea, said cam means engageable by said lock arm means to pivot saidlock arm means to release said lock arm means from the means fixed tothe blade means whereby the blade means moves to the down position.

3. The apparatus of claim ll wherein: the means movably mounting theblade means on the frame means ineludes transverse rod means, and meansrotatably mounted on the rod means and secured to the blade means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first means includes cockingmeans adjacent the material discharge area for causing the blade meansto move from the down position to the raised position in response tomovement of the apparatus toward the cocking means.

5. An apparatus for moving material from a surface to a discharge areacomprising: frame means movably located on the surface, generallytransverse blade means for collecting and moving material on thesurface, means movably mounting the blade means on the frame means forselected movement to a down scraping position and a raised positionrelative to the surface, said means movably mounting the blade means onthe frame means including transverse rod means and means rotatablymounted on the rod means and secured to the blade means, lock means forholding the blade means in the raised position, said lock means havingprojection means on the means rotatably mounted on the rod means, andarm means engageable with the projection means to hold the blade meansin the raised position, first means for raising the blade means inresponse to movement of the apparatus and actuating the lock means tohold the blade means in the raised position, second means for releasingthe lock means in response to movement of the apparatus whereby theblade means moves from the raised position to the down position, andmeans for moving the frame means relative to the surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the first means includes cockingmeans adjacent the material discharge area for causing the blade meansto move from the down position to the raised position in response tomovement of the apparatus toward the cocking means.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the second means includes cam meansfixed relative to said surface at a position remote from said dischargearea, said cam means engageable by said lock means to release said lockmeans whereby the blade means moves to the down position.

8. An apparatus for moving materials from a surface toa discharge areacomprising: frame means movably located on the surface, generallytransverse blade means for collecting and moving material on the surface, said blade means having generally upright ear means, means movablymounting the blade means on the frame means for selective movement to adown scraping position and a raised position relative to the surface,lock means for holding the blade means in the raised position, firstmeans for raising the blade means in response to movement of theapparatus and actuating the lock means to hold the blade means in theraised position, said first means including cocking means adjacent thematerial discharge area for causing the blade means to move from thedown position to the raised position in response to movement of theapparatus toward the cocking means, said ear means engageable with thecocking means to raise the blade means, second means for releasing thelock means in response to movement of the apparatus whereby the blademeans moves from the raised position to the down position and means formoving the frame means relative to the surface.

9. An apparatus for moving material from a surface to a discharge areacomprising: frame means movably located on the surface, generallytransverse blade means for collecting and moving material on thesurface, means movably mounting the blade means on the frame means forselected movement to a down scraping position and a raised positionrelative to the surface, lock means for holding the blade means in theraised position, first means for raising the blade means in response tomovement of the apparatus and actuating the lock means to hold the blademeans in the raised position, second means for releasing the lock meansin response to movement of the apparatus whereby the blade means movesfrom the raised position to the down position, said second meansincluding cam means fixed relative to said surface at a position remotefrom said discharge area, said cam means engageable by said lock meansto release said lock means whereby the blade means moves to the downposition, and means for moving the frame means relative to the surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the frame means has longitudinalrunner means and a yoke means attached to the runner means, said runnermeans locatable in a longitudinal trough in the surface, said meansmovably mounting the blade means being connected to the runner means andyoke means.

1 l. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the first means includes cockingmeans adjacent the material discharge area for causing the blade meansto move from the down position to the raised position in response tomovement of the apparatus toward the cocking means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein: the blade means has ear means,said ear means engageable with the cocking means to raise the blademeans.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the frame means has longitudinalrunner means locatable in a longitudinal trough in the surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the frame means has a longitudinalrunner means and a yoke means attached to the runner means, said meansmovably mounting the blade means being connected to the runner means andyoke means.

15. An apparatus for moving material from a surface to a discharge areacomprising: frame means movably located on the surface, said frame meanshaving longitudinal runner means locatable in a longitudinal trough inthe surface, generally transverse blade means for collecting and movingmaterial on the surface, means movably mounting the blade means on theframe means for selected movement to a down scraping position and araised position relative to the surface, lock means for holding theblade means in the raised position, first means for raising the blademeans in response to movement of the apparatus and actuating the lockmeans to hold the blade means in the raised position, second means forreleasing the lock means in response to movement of the apparatuswhereby the blade means moves from the raised position to the downposition, and means for moving the frame means relative to the surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein:' the second means includes cammeans fixed relative to said surface at a position remote from saiddischarge area, said cam means engageable by said lock means to releasethe lock means whereby the blade means from the up position to the downposition.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the first means includes cockingmeans adjacent the material discharge area for causing the blade meansto move from the down position to the raised position in response tomovement of the apparatus toward the cock ing means.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein: the blade means has ear means,said ear means engageable with the cocking means to raise the blademeans.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the frame means has yoke meansattached to the runner means and said means movably mounting the blademeans being connected to the runner means and yoke means.

1. An apparatus for moving material from a surface to a discharge areacomprising: frame means movably located on the surface, generallytransverse blade means for collecting and moving material on thesurface, means movably mounting the blade means on the frame means forselected movement to a down scraping position and a raised positionrelative to the surface, lock means for holding the blade means in theraised position, said lock means including lock arm means pivotallymounted on the frame means, and means fixed with respect to the blademeans engageable with the lock arm to hold the blade means in the raisedposition, first means for raising the blade means in response tomovement of the apparatus and actuating the lock means to hold the blademeans in the raised position, second means cooperating with the lock armmeans to release said lock arm means from the means fixed to the blademeans whereby the blade means moves from the raised position to the downposition, and means for moving the frame means relative to the surface.2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the second means includes cam meansfixed relative to said surface at a position remote from said dischargearea, said cam means engageable by said lock arm means to pivot saidlock arm means to release said lock arm means from the means fixed tothe blade means whereby the blade means moves to the down position. 3.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the means movably mounting the blademeans on the frame means includes transverse rod means, and meansrotatably mounted on the rod means and secured to the blade means. 4.The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: the first means includes cocking meansadjacent the material discharge area for causing the blade means to movefrom the down position to the raised position in response to movement ofthe apparatus toward the cocking means.
 5. An apparatus for movingmaterial from a surface to a discharge area comprising: frame meansmovably located on the surface, generally transverse blade means forcollecting and moving material on the surface, means movably mountingthe blade means on the frame means for selected movement to a downscraping position and a raised position relative to the surface, saidmeans movably mounting the blade means on the frame means includingtransverse rod means and means rotatably mounted on the rod means andsecured to the blade means, lock means for holding the blade means inthe raised position, said lock means having projection means on themeans rotatably mounted on the rod means, and arm means engageable withthe projection means to hold the blade means in the raised position,first means for raising the blade means in response to movement of theapparatus and actuating the lock means to hold the blade means in theraised position, second means for releasing the lock means in responseto movement of the apparatus whereby the blade means moves from theraised position to the down position, and means for moving the framemeans relative to the surface.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: thefirst means includes cocking means adjacent the material discharge areafor causing the blade means to move from the down position to the raisedposition in response to movement of the apparatus toward the cockingmeans.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein: the second means includescam meaNs fixed relative to said surface at a position remote from saiddischarge area, said cam means engageable by said lock means to releasesaid lock means whereby the blade means moves to the down position. 8.An apparatus for moving materials from a surface to a discharge areacomprising: frame means movably located on the surface, generallytransverse blade means for collecting and moving material on thesurface, said blade means having generally upright ear means, meansmovably mounting the blade means on the frame means for selectivemovement to a down scraping position and a raised position relative tothe surface, lock means for holding the blade means in the raisedposition, first means for raising the blade means in response tomovement of the apparatus and actuating the lock means to hold the blademeans in the raised position, said first means including cocking meansadjacent the material discharge area for causing the blade means to movefrom the down position to the raised position in response to movement ofthe apparatus toward the cocking means, said ear means engageable withthe cocking means to raise the blade means, second means for releasingthe lock means in response to movement of the apparatus whereby theblade means moves from the raised position to the down position andmeans for moving the frame means relative to the surface.
 9. Anapparatus for moving material from a surface to a discharge areacomprising: frame means movably located on the surface, generallytransverse blade means for collecting and moving material on thesurface, means movably mounting the blade means on the frame means forselected movement to a down scraping position and a raised positionrelative to the surface, lock means for holding the blade means in theraised position, first means for raising the blade means in response tomovement of the apparatus and actuating the lock means to hold the blademeans in the raised position, second means for releasing the lock meansin response to movement of the apparatus whereby the blade means movesfrom the raised position to the down position, said second meansincluding cam means fixed relative to said surface at a position remotefrom said discharge area, said cam means engageable by said lock meansto release said lock means whereby the blade means moves to the downposition, and means for moving the frame means relative to the surface.10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the frame means has longitudinalrunner means and a yoke means attached to the runner means, said runnermeans locatable in a longitudinal trough in the surface, said meansmovably mounting the blade means being connected to the runner means andyoke means.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the first meansincludes cocking means adjacent the material discharge area for causingthe blade means to move from the down position to the raised position inresponse to movement of the apparatus toward the cocking means.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 11 wherein: the blade means has ear means, said earmeans engageable with the cocking means to raise the blade means. 13.The apparatus of claim 9 wherein: the frame means has longitudinalrunner means locatable in a longitudinal trough in the surface.
 14. Theapparatus of claim 9 wherein: the frame means has a longitudinal runnermeans and a yoke means attached to the runner means, said means movablymounting the blade means being connected to the runner means and yokemeans.
 15. An apparatus for moving material from a surface to adischarge area comprising: frame means movably located on the surface,said frame means having longitudinal runner means locatable in alongitudinal trough in the surface, generally transverse blade means forcollecting and moving material on the surface, means movably mountingthe blade means on the frame means for selected movement to a downscraping position and a raised position relative to the surface, lockmeans for holding the blade means in the raised position, first Meansfor raising the blade means in response to movement of the apparatus andactuating the lock means to hold the blade means in the raised position,second means for releasing the lock means in response to movement of theapparatus whereby the blade means moves from the raised position to thedown position, and means for moving the frame means relative to thesurface.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the second meansincludes cam means fixed relative to said surface at a position remotefrom said discharge area, said cam means engageable by said lock meansto release the lock means whereby the blade means from the up positionto the down position.
 17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the firstmeans includes cocking means adjacent the material discharge area forcausing the blade means to move from the down position to the raisedposition in response to movement of the apparatus toward the cockingmeans.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein: the blade means has earmeans, said ear means engageable with the cocking means to raise theblade means.
 19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: the frame means hasyoke means attached to the runner means and said means movably mountingthe blade means being connected to the runner means and yoke means.